Church New Year St. Symeon Stylites (the Elder) (459) and his mother St. Martha (428).
Righteous Joshua the Son of Nun (ca. 1400 b.c.). Martyr Aeithalas of Persia (380). Holy 40 Women Martyrs: Laurencia (deaconess), Celsina, Theoclia, Theoctista, Dorothy, Eutychia, Thecla, Aristaineta, Philadelphia, Mary, Veronica, Euthymia, Lamprotatia, Euphymia, Theodora, Theodota, Teteia, Aquilina, Theodulia, Aplodora, Lampadia, Procopia, Paula, Junilla, Ampliana, Percissa, Polynicia, Maura, Gregoria, Cyria, Bassa, Callinica, Barbara, Cyriacia, Agathonica, Justa, Irene, Timothea, Tatiana, and Anna, and Hieromartyr Ammon (deacon), their teacher, at Heraclea in Thrace (321-323). Martyrs Callista and her brothers Evodus and Hermogenes, at Nicomedia (309). St. Dionysius Exiguus, monk, of Rome (ca. 545). St. Anthony (Abashidze), metropolitan of Tauride and Simferapol (1921).
Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos in Miasena Monastery, in commemoration of the discovery of her icon (864). Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos: “Chernigov-Gethsemane,” (1869) “Of Alexandria,” “Avgustovskaya,” (1914) and “All-blessed One” (Kazan).
St. Verena of Zurzach (Switzerland) (ca. 350). Commemoration of the Great Fire at Constantinople (ca. 470). St. Giles (Aegidius), monastic founder, along the Rhone (ca. 712). St. Meletius the Younger, of Thebes (1095-1124). St. Nicholas of Courtaliatis on Crete, monk (1670). New Martyr Angelis of Constantinople (1680). St. Haido of Stanos (1820-1821). St. Symeon of Lesbos.
Repose of Hieromonk Sofian (Boghiu) of Romania (2002).
Thursday. [Eph. 5:33-36; Luke 4:16-22]
The Lord did not only come to preach
the acceptable year, but He brought it as well. Where
is it? In the souls of believers. The earth will never
become paradise under the current state of affairs; but it
is and will be an arena of preparation for the heavenly
life. The rudiments of heavenly life are placed in the
soul, the possibility for it lies in God’s grace,
while grace was brought by our Lord Jesus Christ—who
brought, consequently, the acceptable year for souls. He
who listens to the Lord and fulfils all that is commanded
by Him, receives grace, and with its power enjoys the
acceptable year within himself. This truly occurs in all
who sincerely believe and act according to faith. You will
not fill your soul with this acceptableness by thinking;
you must act, and it will enter in on its own. There might
not be any outer peace, just inner, and yet it cannot be
separated from Christ. But it always happens that as soon
as inner peace is established, outer disturbances are
neither bitter nor heavy. Thus, this aspect is also
acceptable—it only seem like a cold winter on the
outside.